


The Best Laid Plans

by thesecretdetectivecollection



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Gen, Liverpool FC players - Freeform, Liverpool fc - Freeform, Pretty much the whole team tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-16 17:06:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9281519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesecretdetectivecollection/pseuds/thesecretdetectivecollection
Summary: “This is without a doubt the stupidest plan you’ve ever had. Of course I’m in.”When the team suffers the wrath of a Liverpool winter, their heroic captain comes up with a plan to save them!And he recruits a reluctant German accomplice, to help him carry it out.





	

**Author's Note:**

> For Sej--
> 
> I wish I'd spoken to you more, you are incredibly sharp, quick-witted, funny, talented, insightful, (and also gorgeous).
> 
> I hope life gets easier for you, and I hope you marry Emre some day. ;)
> 
> But seriously--knowing you made me a more aware person, and I recognized in you the keen sense of empathy and recognition of injustice, and further more, the desire to remedy that injustice, that makes people admirable and exceptional. 
> 
> Go forth, my friend, and conquer.

_It’s so cold here_ , Alberto whines in the changing room.

 _You’re telling me, I should get a medal for making it out of bed this morning_ , Studge mutters.

 _You are from England, Studge, you should be used to it, lad!_ Lucas says.

_You should be used to it! Been here since Shankly, haven’t ya, Lucas?_

_No, only since Paisley. I’m not_ that _old, mate._ Lucas says, grinning.

Ben bursts out laughing from the corner. _Good one, Lucas!_

 _We get it, we get it, you want in on Lucas’ fanclub,_ mutters Trent.

_No I don’t!_

_Well, that’s too bad. You’re mine now, Woody. Welcome to the family_ , Lucas says kindly. Ben lights up.

The conversation devolves, with Adam looking on, amused while Trent argues that he and Ovie should also be included if Lucas is going to take Ben, because _you can’t just leave us! That’s favoritism!_

Lucas is all for it. _Have to take care of all the young boys now_ , he sighs, _that’s what us old folks are for, really_. Ben is the one who says Trent and Ovie aren’t allowed, because they didn’t laugh nearly as hard at Lucas’ joke as he did.

Hendo has a pensive look on his face. Emre notices and sighs, moving to sit next to him.

 _What’re you thinking, Jordan?_ He asks.

_Be nice to go out, wouldn’t it? All the  lads? Somewhere warm. That’d be good, right?_

The room resounds with agreement. Alberto nods so hard Emre worries for his neck. Lucas just stares off into space dreamily.

It _’s December, Jordan. We’re not going anywhere for a long while._

_Well, the gaffer likes you, Em. And he likes me._

_He likes all of us, Jordan. Kloppo doesn’t play favorites._

_Of course not, I’m just saying, he might be particularly susceptible, to his German son, is all._

_What do you want me to do then?_

_Just tell him the cold and the media are getting to the lads a bit. Suggest we go somewhere else for a little while. Spain, maybe._

Alberto’s eyes are actually filling up with tears of joy at the thought of going home again.

 _Por favor_ , he says quietly, looking at the pair of them.

_So you want me to convince Jürgen to let us go to Spain. When we have a match at the weekend. Emre sounds typically unconvinced._

_Just plant the seed, mate. I’ll give it some water. Lucas’ll shine at it for a bit…._

Even Milly looks cautiously excited at the idea. _Spain would be nice_ , he admits.

_This is without a doubt the stupidest plan you’ve ever had. Of course I’m in._

_Yes! All the hair wax you want, Emre! A year’s supply, on me!_

_Probably not a great idea, captain. Emre uses a lot_ , Loris mutters, _and it’s not the cheap stuff, either. Imported._

 _A man’s got to have his priorities straight_ , Jordan says seriously, _and my man Emre does, and I’m glad to hear it._

Emre ambles over to Kloppo at the end of training. They walk back in together, Kloppo slinging a casual arm round Emre’s neck. 

Emre’s subtle about it, talks about Loris and Alberto being attacked by the media, being a little uncertain because of it. He talks about Ben, young and a little nervous about the spotlight on him, _young players need a little bit of air, a little bit of space,_ he says _. Last year, we went to Tenerife, and I think that was a good idea, really brought the boys together as a team,_ Emre says, _and this time we could have the whole team go, even the ones who’d normally be away on international duty, because it wasn’t actually international break._ They’re the last ones back in, and Emre gives Hendo a cautious nod.

This is why Hendo and Emre each get an armful of grateful Alberto that day, and a _good-job-not-killing-his-dreams_ nod from Lucas. And Woody stares at them, adoring.

 _I want that_ , he mumbles.

 _Give it a few years, mate, you’re still a baby yet,_ Milly says fondly.

 _I hope your hair wax doesn’t put me out of house and home, mate_ , Hendo mutters to Emre.

Emre smiles, and it’s terrifying.

—

When they train in Barcelona, Emre takes a deep breath of the warm air and smiles.

 _I’ll cut it to six months’ worth of hair wax_. He says to Hendo.  

—

 _You know they actually think they tricked you into letting them come here,_ Zeljko mutters to Jürgen.

_Let them think that. I’m as happy as anyone to be warm again. Besides, it’s good to be the smartest man in the room. It’s better when nobody thinks of you that way._

**Author's Note:**

> The title is, of course, a reference to the old quote "The best laid plans, of mice and men, often go awry." (originally the quote was the best laid schemes, but Hendo isn't really a schemer)
> 
> This one didn't, though, so good for Hendo and Emre!


End file.
